Sucker rod guide



July 2, 1952 w. F. WARD SUCKER ROD GUIDE Filed Nov. 5, 1949 .a/vvvvvvvvvvvv/ WWI?! f1 1441/90 IN VEN TOR.

Patented July 22, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE).

2,604,364 7 I SUCKER ROD GUIDE Warren F. Ward, Dallas, Tex.

Application November 3, 1949, Serial No. 125,228

3 Claims.

This invention relates to guides for use as applied to sucker rods in pumping oil wells.

As is generally known by those skilled in the art, a great deal of wear occurs between rod couplings, rods and the tubing even in normal wells. This condition is more greatly in evidence in crooked wells or those having bent tubing or bent rod strings.

It also is well known that electrical forces are present underground which frequently set up electrolytic action and disintegrate the rod string or tubing. This condition usually concentrates at points Where the rod coupling or the rods wear and maintain contact with the tubing. Also these wear points increase the friction load on the reciprocating rods.

Pressures up to several thousand pounds per square inch are present in the very deep wells and my guide is intended to operate under all such conditions.

It is the further purpose of the present invention to provide a guide for well rods, which is easy to install on or remove from the rod and is economical of manufacture and which overcomes the aforementioned costly and objectionable conditions.

Those skilled in the art will readily understand my invention from the following description together with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure I is an elevation of my guide.

Figure II is a section along line 2-2 of Figure I, and Figure III is a section along line 3--3 of Figure I.

Figure IV is similar to Figure III but shows a section assembled on a well rod.

Figure V shows a modified form of spring clip.

Figure VI shows a further modified form of the spring clip.

Proceeding now with a more detailed description in which like references indicate similar parts, 5 is a spring steel clip having an inner axial opening of somewhat smaller diameter than the rod to which it is to be applied so that when seated on a rod it will grip the same. Clip 5 as shown is of generally C-shaped form having rolled back termini 66 for purposes later to be described in more detail. It will also be noted that the facing edges of the clip l-'! are closer together than other parts of the clip. 8 is a dielectric synthetic rubber material of high oil resistance such as Hycar, neoprene or Paracril which has been bonded to the steel clip by a well known method such as vulcanization, preferably at higher pressures than encountered in oil wells.

In practice the diameter of the rubber 8 is greater than the diameter of the sucker rod couplings employed in the pumping string to which my guide is applied.

While in my drawings I have shown the inner surface of the clip 5 as being covered with rubber this is not an essential feature of my invention altho desirable as protecting the clip from corrosive action by the elements and providing a more secure grip on the rod.

My clip may be applied on the rod 9 as shown in Figure IV at points as desired between the couplings by the simple method of applying the opening or slot in the rubber and between termini 'l--'l of the clip and exerting force sufiicient to cause the clip to spring open at l-l to permit the rod to be received and gripped by the inner circular surface of the guide. Removal from the rod may readily be accomplished by applying pressure in the opposite direction.

In my co-pending application filed of even date herewith Serial No. 125,230, I have shown and claimed an applicator for facilitating the installation and removal of my guide from well rods.

Since my guide is of larger diameter than the rod couplings the latter as well as the rod string are secured against contact with the well tubing. Also the rubber guide surface being lubricated by the fluid in the well will offer a minimum of friction between the moving parts. Further since the rubber of my guide is of high dielec trio material a very advantageous cathodic insulation is attained.

It is further pointed out that the slot in my guide provides passageway for fluid between the guide and tubing thus permitting the use of guides of greater diameter than otherwise would be the case. This provides more material in the guide for wearing purposes and in holding the rod string and tubing further apart and increasing the elfective insulation between the rod and tubing strings.

The rolled back termini 66 of the clip facilitates the installation of the guide on the rod.

To effect a more secure bond between the rubber and the metal clip, the latter may be provided with a series of openings Ill to receive portions of the rubber as shown in Figures V and VI. The rubber will be forced through these openings during the vulcanizing operation.

What I claim is:

1. In oil well equipment, a guide for a sucker rod, comprising a cylindrical resilient body having a. longitudinal bore therethrough to receive the rod and having a longitudinal slot through the body communicating with said bore; and a C-shaped spring clip embedded within said body and extending substantially the length thereof and surrounding said bore, the opening of said clip registering with said slot, and the slot and opening being narrower than the diameter of the bore and being of sufiicient width to lay-pass oil past the guide.

2. In a guide as set forth in claim 1, said spring clip being perforated to strengthen the union between said clip and said body.

3. In a guide as set forth in claim 1, said resilient body being of oil-resistant dielectric material.

WARREN F. WARD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

